1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of data processing and, more specifically, to data processing methods and systems for creating and populating forms.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of standardized HTML forms to collect and capture data has proven to be a useful way to organize and collect information. The use of such forms is commonplace today. The widespread availability of computers has led to the development of automated forms processing methods and systems that provide increased efficiency, reliability, and data persistence. In particular, existing automated forms processing methods and systems make possible the collection and retention of vast amount of information. Such information may include personal or confidential information. Government agencies, in particular, collect large amounts of such information using standardized forms.
Various organizations have developed their own unique or proprietary forms based on the information needed to be collected by the organization. For example, the Internal Revenue Service collects taxpayer information using a Form 1040 as well as many other related forms. Within a given organization, as well as among organizations, the information to be collected may include much of the same information such as, for example, a person's first and last names. Despite the similarities of the information collected using different forms of the same organization or of other organizations, existing systems and methods do not allow for fast and efficient reuse of information already collected when the same or similar information has to be subsequently collected from a user.
Furthermore, in existing data processing systems having a client-server architecture, the data processing and maintenance functions tend to be concentrated on the server side. This approach can lead to service delays to client users, because the client user has to wait for a response from the server, thereby impacting system response time from the client's perspective. In addition, existing systems require the server side to provide storage capacity for vast amounts of collected information. The cost required to provide and maintain this capacity involves a substantial and ongoing outlay of time, money, and technical resources. Furthermore, concentrated personal or company information at the server side leaves the information more vulnerable to a single security attack, giving rise to privacy concerns for massive amounts of personal information. Still further, existing systems and methods require large amounts of program data to be downloaded from a server to a client in order for a client user to be able to enter data into form templates.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods to address these limitations as well as others readily discernable from review of this disclosure.